Neuroprotective effects of stanniocalcin 2 following kainic acid-induced hippocampal degeneration in ICR mice

Stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) the paralog of STC1 has been shown to act as a novel target of the mammalian unfolded protein response We investigated the potential neuroprotective actions of STC2 against kainic acid toxicity in the hippocampus of ICR mice STC2-treated mice experienced less neuronal cell loss in the CA3 area of the hippocampus Also microglial activation and heme oxygenase 1 expression were attenuated in the hippocampus of STC2-treated mice To confirm whether STC2 regulates microglial activation directly nitric oxide levels were measured in BV2 cells cultured with and without 10 nM STC2 STC2 decreased the level of nitric oxide Induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment significantly Also STC2 pretreatment significantly decreased TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta expression induced by LPS treatment These observations demonstrated that STC2 exerts neuroprotective actions against excitotoxic Insults through the inhibition of microglial activation (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved